Wells pleased with hard-fought road win over Breakers
Adelaide 36ers Head Coach Mike Wells described the team's victory over the New Zealand Breakers as an “ugly win,” but expressed satisfaction with how his players fought through adversity to secure the result. The Sixers defeated the Breakers 83–79 at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, marking their first win at that venue in three attempts.
Bryce Cotton led the Sixers with 23 points, five assists, and two crucial steals, helping the team withstand a strong late push from New Zealand. Coming into the matchup, Adelaide had won three of their previous four games against the Breakers, but the New Zealand side had captured each of the last five home encounters.
“I thought that was a really hard-fought NBL game,” said Wells. “On the road, you've got to bite and scrap and do a lot of things—sometimes it’s not perfect or pretty, but we got the win.”
Wells highlighted how his team tightened its defence after conceding 33 points in the second quarter, restricting the Breakers to just 32 in the entire second half. He praised his players for their strong fourth-quarter transition defence and collective effort.
“We had good performances from different guys,” Wells added. “We’d like to tidy things up at the end to make it easier, but credit to them—they fought hard, and we stayed with it and got the win.”
Author’s Summary
Mike Wells praised Adelaide 36ers for their grit and improved defence in a tough 83–79 road victory over the New Zealand Breakers in Christchurch.